Threat of Resource Depletion and Human Extinction - Literature review Example

Threat of Resource Depletion and Human Extinction In the essay "Is Humanity Suicidal?" by E. O. Wilson, theauthor says "The human species is, in a word, an environmental abnormality" (Wilson 117). This means the adverse impacts placed on planet earth by human beings have a high possibility of threatening the survival of the human species. Therefore, it is imperative for contemporary societies to start thinking about the consequences of their actions on planet earth, and act to reverse them. Environmentalists have claimed that the human race is on the path of destruction, and their claims are valid. This paper is an illustration of how environmentalists prove that the human race currently heads towards destruction and a counterargument presented by critics. One of the main causes to us being on the brink of destruction is the increase in human population. "...the human species has doubled to 5.5 billion during the past 50 years" (Wilson 116). The consistent increase in population is a sign that human beings are on the path of self-destruction. With human population increasing so quickly, within a short time, people do not even know what to expect or how to handle it. The worst part is "It is scheduled to double again in the next 50 years" (Wilson 116). The Earth is only able to capacitate so many organisms, humans being at the top of the chain. Human beings will not know when that capacity is met until it is too late; by then the Earth will be overpopulated and there will be no going back. Rapid growth of population leads to endless competition for scarce resources, often resulting to conflicts and destruction of the environment as human beings utilize resources. Wilson concludes, "We are tribal and aggressively territorial, intent on private space and beyond minimal requirements, and oriented by selfish sexual and reproductive drives" (Wilson 16). With each generation produced comes, a great increase in the human population. With every human being comes wants; humans are consumers of the earth. In order to satisfy everyones "wants," appropriate resources need to be acquired. This often leads to quick exploitation of resources so as to enhance their rapid acquisition. Conservative journalists such as Alston Chase and Julian Simon claim that there is no cause for alarm about the growing population. Chase asserts that extinction is natural, and 99% of things that existed in the past are now extinct. If human beings live by these claims, they will deplete resources and become extinct. Wilson (118) says, "Because Earth is finite in many resources that determine the quality of life - including arable soil, nutrients, fresh water and space for natural ecosystems - doubling of consumption at constant time intervals can bring disaster with shocking suddenness." The more humans reproduce and increase human population size, the more they deplete their daily resources. Without these resources, they will not manage to survive. Wilson (123) says, "Humanity is now destroying most of the habitats where evolution can occur." Many of the species are being taken from their habitats or becoming extinct because of the way the society uses their resources; we are extinguishing the habitats that species live in because of the increase in population. "At the heart of the environmentalists’ world view is the conviction that human physical and spiritual health depends on sustaining the planet in a relatively unaltered state" (Wilson 119). However, some people no longer care about the physical and spiritual satisfaction they derive from the environment. Charles Birch speaks on the impact of technological advancement on the environment. He says, “Just as the dinosaurs became extinct because they could not adapt to their changing environment, humanity faces extinction if it cannot adapt to a rapidly changing environment caused by global industrial civilization” (Birch 19). Indeed, the rate of advancement in technology and industrialization is remarkably high. Most of the industries are located in the developed world. These use a lot of water and increase pollution on land, water and air. Consequently, the flora and fauna face destruction. If there are no adequate resources for human beings to use, then they are headed for misery and death. Birch continues to insist, “…20 percent of the global human population now consumes 80 percent of resources and wealth while the remaining 80 percent of the people consume only 20 percent of resources and wealth” (Birch 12). This is the situation in the globe. Human beings in the developed countries have a competitive advantage over the people living in Third World or developing countries. They can exploit resources faster than those in the developing countries. Thus, it is true to say that the people in the developed countries will reach the self-destruction level later than those in the developing countries. The reason behind this is that they will exploit resources in their countries and extend to the developing countries due to their technological advancements. The unending desire of human beings to accumulate wealth leads to reduction and depletion of resources on a daily basis. Human beings fail to acknowledge that the environment does not expand as population expands. This leads to continuous exploitation of minerals, land and forestry in a manner that warrants concern to environmentalists and global environment specialists. Wilson asserts, “many of Earths vital resources are about to be exhausted, its atmospheric chemistry is deteriorating, and human populations have already grown dangerously large" (Wilson 119). If we keep reproducing at the rate we are, population sizes are going to increase greatly, causing a demand for more resources. The more humans reproduce the more problems they come across, but high reproduction rates will remain part and parcel of people’s lives unless an action is taken. If resource usage rate keeps increasing at a faster rate than the reproduction rate of the environment, people are literally going to use up all the resources. When that happens there will not be any resources, and we will need to find new alternatives to all the things we use. This scenario interferes with the complex support system of ecology, and it might be impossible to replace resources in the future. The specific human activities that lead to destruction on earth can never go unnoticed. Desertification, deforestation, oil spills, ozone depletion, species extinction and poor garbage disposal lead human beings on the path of destruction. If human beings do not change their ways, then they are on the right direction towards self-destruction. Failure to act means lack of resources and destruction of the environment at the same time. Human beings must act quickly in a manner that will lead to sustainable development. People must think of how to safeguard the environment for the future generations. If people are not going to stop the high rate of human reproduction, then there is the need to work towards a more environmentally friendly way of living, or search for new, alternative resources. In "A Special Moment in History" Bill Mckibben says, Weve increased the population fourfold in that 150 years; the amount of food humans grow has gone up faster still; the size of the economy has quite simply exploded" (Mckibben 87). All these things determine the current and future global environmental state. Human beings will soon realize the damage being done to the earth and how many humans depend on the planet’s resources. What these scientists are saying is absolute: “Human ingenuity can turn sand into silicon chips, allowing the creation of millions of home pages on the utterly fascinating World Wide Web, but human ingenuity cannot forever turn dry sand into soil that will grow food" (Mckibben 95). We are fast approaching definite physical boundaries. If this continues we will still be able to provide food, but we will just provide it at a much slower rate than the rapid growth. Therefore, human beings must act exceptionally fast to solve this dilemma. In conclusion, environmentalists have a more valid point because humanity is on the brink of destruction, due to rapid population growth rate. The human population is vastly dependent on the earths resources. Perhaps, they are awaiting a significant catastrophe to befall them so that they can act. The contemporary societies need to come together and make smarter choices for the sake of the planet. There might be a need for a complete overhaul of human activities, in order to solve the problem. This paper serves as a wake-up call and an eye opener to human beings to come together in their environs, so as to foster sustainable development for the future generations. Works Cited Birch, Alston. "As Humans Send Earth Toward Extinction." The Extinction of the Dinosaurs and the threat of Human Extinction. New York: Custom, 1993. Print. Mckibben, Bill. A Special Moment in History." Actively Reading Our World. New York: Custom. 1993. Print. Wilson, E. O. "Is Humanity Suicidal?" Actively Reading Our World. New York: Custom, 1993. Print. Read More